Fewer school days part of statewide trend

Wichita Eagle

USD 259’s longer school day and shorter school year are part of a statewide trend as districts have tried to cut costs. Over the past 20 years, the average number of days per teacher has decreased from 187 to 179, and the number of days for students fell from 179 to 169, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards. Meanwhile, the length of the school day increased by an average of 10 minutes for teachers and 20 minutes for students. For the entire year, the amount of time students spend in school decreased by an average of 13 hours and 40 minutes, according to KASB estimates. This year, Wichita reduced the number of school days for students from 173 to 158 and lengthened the school day by 30 minutes. – Phillip Brownlee